Providing Picture-in-Picture (PIP) features and multi-framed screens have been implemented on gaming machines. This typically has been achieved by programming screen real estate segmentation into a controlling software application and a process running on a single or multi-core CPU to specifically draw the output into each frame. The drawing software may be accomplished by rendering streaming media sourced from a local or network media service (e.g., Adobe Flash Server, Windows Media Server), by rendering marked-up commands (e.g., HTML) served up from a local or remote web service, or by direct programmatic manipulation of graphics.
Traditionally, wagering-related game presentations (spinning reels or video games) on an electronic gaming machine are presented on one or more video displays. One of these displays, called the Main Game Display, is usually positioned directly in front of and within arms reach of the casino patron seated in front of the machine, providing optimal viewing and physically interacting with the electronic gaming machine. System information, on the other hand, has traditionally been presented via a separate stand-alone display, called a System Display or iVIEW® (iView® is a Registered Trademark of Bally Gaming International, Inc.), usually much smaller in size, located above, below, or to the side of the Main Game Display. System information traditionally displayed has included the patron's name, loyalty club information, casino marketing messages, and interaction with secondary marketing promotions, bonus games, sweepstakes, and tournaments. This System Display generally is a separate, small, multi-line text or LCD graphical display. In both cases, it is not optimally positioned for either capturing the patron's attention or for viewing in general.
A need has been recognized to exist to enhance the patron's overall gaming experience by presenting key system information at a location optimized for notification and viewing by the player. An ideal location would be on the Main Game Display since all gaming cabinets are designed with this display placed for optimal interaction with the wagering game, including bar top, slant top, and upright-style electronic gaming cabinets.
Many secondary displays on a gaming machine are under-utilized. Many are used simply as static electronic glass. Others provide a secondary display for displaying bonus games or progressive meters in conjunction with the wagering game on that cabinet while a patron is wagering on the device. A need has been recognized to exist to more effectively utilize this secondary display, especially when no one is actively wagering on the gaming machine by displaying casino specific messages, for example, advertising the specific game, casino events and promotions, responsible gaming messages, or other types of advertisements and messages. It would be advantageous to display these messages located for optimal viewing by patrons in the vicinity of the electronic gaming machine, not just sitting in front of the machine. For many electronic cabinet styles, this would be the secondary display often located above the Main Game Display.
Currently, a separate screen is used to display system information while maintaining a separation between the gaming machine, with one or more master gaming controllers, from the associated equipment player tracking device. A need has been recognized to exist to reduce costs by eliminating the separate display used for system information. It would be advantageous to display both wagering game and system information on the same display.
Also currently, system information is streamed or otherwise communicated through TCP/IP, serial ports, USB, and other methods to a software component running on the master gaming controller that renders the content and manages the interactivity with the patron, for example, touches. This exposes the master gaming controller to aberrant and malicious software compromising the integrity of the wagering game. Further, substandard and poorly implemented software consumes more than its share of resources and affects the performance and function of the wagering game. Therefore, a need exists for the wagering gaming device and software that renders the system information to be separated and protected from each other.
Where system information is rendered through software components running on the master gaming controller, the operating software must be designed in such a way to ensure the integrity of the wagering game software is also running on the master gaming controller. As a result, when new system-only capabilities are needed, such as a new biometric camera, which do not directly affect or are directly used by the wagering game, each game manufacturer must update their operating system software to support such features and new devices. This results in slower time to market for such features since each manufacturer must have their platform approved by regulators. This further results in inconsistency across a given casino floor since manufacturers employ different schedules for implementation. Accordingly, a need exists to share the touch displays with no changes being required in the wagering game software, or game operating system, or any other software running on the master game controller.
Furthermore, a need exists to employ shared wagering game and system touch displays on legacy electronic gaming machines without affecting the performance of either the wagering game or the system content. By legacy gaming machines, what is meant is exiting gaming machines from various manufacturers, which include the drawbacks noted herein. These machines may have previously been deployed in the field (i.e. casinos and other regulated gaming venues) or are machines of the same design or which have not been manufactured/programmed to a common standard. This description should not been deemed to be exclusive or all encompassing of legacy gaming machines. Updates to system-driven content will not touch the regulated gaming software. Also, a need exists to employ shared wagering game and system touch displays with a consistent experience. It would be advantageous for the customer experience to be consistent on all electronic gaming machines across all manufacturers, and across all games and computer hardware configurations on a casino floor. There exists a need to maintain the well-defined separation between regulated gaming equipment and associated equipment.
A need also exists to allow patrons to interact with the gaming machine based on what is shown on the shared displays. The patron's touches must be sent to the correct source of what is being shown on the shared display at the point where the patron touched. It would be advantageous to process and route the touches with no changes being required in the wagering game software or game operating system or any other software running on the master game controller.
In regards to legacy and other gaming machines, it often occurs that the video signals generated to the main game display have non-uniform characteristics. These video characteristics may be tied to content such as one or more game title software. As such, in attempting to mix game produced video signals with signals from a secondary source, can result in an error message and/or improper positioning of the composite content at the display. The video processing software/firmware, based upon the signals, may not be able to determine the video characteristic including video “blanking periods” which define the margins of the video and accordingly the video processor may generate an error message or misalign the image at the display. In the prior art it has been necessary for designers to configure the video display and/or video processor by attempting to determine the blanking periods and programming the video manager firmware. A degree of trial and error may be required. Further, for each new video format encountered the revised video manager may require regulatory approval. Suffice it to say, if a video processor is to be configured to be installed in legacy gaming machines of different manufacture and to process video signals for different video formats, significant and ongoing development and other resources will be required to accommodate those various video modes until standardization is adopted by the industry.
Further it would be advantageous if the video manager could be configured to display at the game display (primary or secondary) a diagnostic dashboard.